Piano.



` PATENTBD NOV. 15,` 1904. R. S. BOWEN.

PIANO. APPLICATIoN FILED Nov. 21. 1902.

No MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S. BOWEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GHICKERING &SONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PlANo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,262, dated November15, 1904,

Application filed November 21, 1902. Serial No. 132.183. (No model.)

To ir/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that L-RoBERT S. BOWEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Boston,in the county of Suffolk, StateofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovement inPianos, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to horizontal pianos, and more especially topianos of the type in which the keys are located above the strings andthe action below the latter, with wires or the like extending downbetween the strings for the transmission of movement to the actionproper. Some of the features thereof, however, are capable of beingemployed in other pianos.

The invention comprises improved means for transmitting movement fromthe keys to the action proper; also, an improved combination of partsintended to hold the transmitting connections in position facilitatingthe withdrawal of the action-frame from the piano-case and thereplacement of the said action-frame; also, a novel combinationembracing the soft stop; also, a novel combinationembracing thebelly-bar.

A convenient embodiment of the various features of the invention isrepresented in the accompanying drawings, in which latter- Figure 1 is asectional view, on a vertical plane extending from front to rear, of apiano containing the said embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a viewin detail showing portion of the plate, portion of the back key-rail,one of the steadying and guiding rods, and one of the locking devices onthe key-rail for engagement with the said rods. Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing in plan the free extremity of the upper radius-arm.

Having reference to the drawings, the case in general of the body of apiano is indicated at 1, one of the cheeks thereof being indicated at 2.Two of the keys are shown at 5 5, Fig. 1, a hammer at 6, the strings at7, a tuning-pin at 71, and the plate at 8. The main parts of. the piano,so far as the same are shownin the drawings, are disposed and arrangedin a manner intended to reduce the front of the case, bringing the saidedge near' the front panel 10. The keys 5 5 are located above the plate8, and for the purpose of re ducing the height of the piano the actionis arranged below the plate and strings, the keys above said plate beingjoined operatively with the said action by means of motion.

transmitting connections extending through the spaces between thestrings. The action Valso is set back somewhat from the front of thecase, as indicated clearly in Fig. 1, in order to leave a recess belowthe front portion of the plate 8 and corresponding portion of the casesuiicient to admit the knees of the person who plays upon the instrumentor to receive a mechanical or automatic player of one of the kinds atpresent in use. So far as the parts of the action which are moreimmediately adjacent the hammer are concerned they may be of anyimproved character. l have shown in Fig. 1 an arrangement which inessential respects is the same as that which is at present in extensiveuse and needs, therefore, no descrip-A tion herein. The jack,collectively, is designated 11 in the said figure, the jack-bed, formingpart thereof, being designated 12 for convenience in referring to thesame. The jackvbed 12 is engaged by the capstan-screw 13,

carried by the lever 14, the said lever carrying the back-catch 15 andbeing termed by me the back-catch lever. The back-catch lever 14 isactuated through the lever 16, which from its general function ofcausing the jack to be lifted I call the jack-lifting lever, therearwardly-projecting arm of the said lever 16 being provided with thebuttorn 17, which makes contact with the back-catch lever.

kHaving reference now to the keys 5 5 and the parts which areimmediately adjacent the same, at 51 51 are shown the pins extendingupward from the front key-rail, which last is located beneath the frontends of the said keys, the upper portions of the said pins beingreceived in the slots or chambers 52 52,.,v i

which are formed in the under side of the keys, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 1. At 53 53 are shown the puncheons or disks of felt whichcushion the downstroke of the keys. The front key-rail 54, on which thesaid pins and puncheons or disks are mounted, is supported by the plate8. rlhe keys are shown mounted in a manner which facilitates turning thesame backward to uncover the parts below the same and afford free accessto such parts. Thus each of the keys 5 5 has secured to its rear end, atthe under side thereof, a small flange 55. One end of the said flangeprojects rearwardly beyond the end of the key and enters betweenforwardly-extending lugs of a flange 56, mounted upon the back key-rail57, the flange 56 being attached to the said key-rail 57 by means of ascrew 58. The flange 55 is connected with the said lugs of the flange 56by means of a pivot, as 59. This mode of mounting the keys enables themto be swung upwardly and rearwardly upon their pivots 59 until the partswhich are located below the keys and more or less covered thereby areexposed and rendered accessible. The keys may be turned back until thecenter of gravity has been passed, after which they will remainnaturally in their elevated and rearward positions. The latter may bedetermined by contact of the shoulder at 500 on the rear end of each keywith the top of the fiange 56.

In order, further, to facilitate access to the parts below the keys andkey-rails, the keyrails 54 and 57 are mounted with capacity for movementin a direction from front to rear between the cheeks 2. The respectivekeyrails are supported by the surfaces 571 and 541 of the plate 8, uponwhich surfaces they rest. For the purpose of steadying and guiding' thekey-rails 57 54 they are fitted to rods 572 and 542, respectively. Inconnection with each key-rail a series of the said rods is employed, therespective series extending from side to side of the piano. The mainportion of each rod extends horizontally, and each of the said key-railsis bored transversely and fitted upon the horizontal portions of thecorresponding rods. The rods 57 2 serve to prevent the back key-railfrom tilting under the stresses which are communicated thereto when thekeys are struck and depressed in playing the piano.

For the purpose of holding the respective key-rails 54 and 57 in firmcontact with the supporting-surfaces 541 and 571 of the plate, so as toprevent the production of noise by the vibration of the parts and alsoof causing' the said key-rails to be held from undesired transversemovement upon the said surfaces by their frictional engagement with thelatter when not otherwise locked or held from. such movement, the rods542 and 572 are arranged to be forced by spring-pressure toward thesurfaces 541 571, so as to press the under sides of the key-rails 54 and57 against the said surfaces. The spring-pressure may be variouslyproduced and applied; but preferably it is produced and applied byforming each rod with an attaching portion, whereby it is connected withthe plate, and arranging' so that in use a portion of the rod shall beplaced under tension by its engagement with the keyrail, this tensiontending to carry the keyrail 54 or 57 into contact with thecorresponding surface 541 or 571. In the present case each rod 542 and572, at the extremity thereof, is bent at right angles to its length andthen is formed into a partially-closed loop 543 or 573, the said eye orloop having a depending screwthreaded stem 544 or 574, which is driveninto a screw threaded hole that is tapped in the plate 8. rlhe height ofthe holes through the key-rails above the bottom surfaces of saidkey-rails is such that when the key-rails 54 and 57 are caused to restupon the surfaces 541 and 571 and are fitted upon the horizontalportions of the rods 542 and 572 the said portions of the rods arethereby raised sufficiently from their normal positions to slightlystrain the rods at the loops 543 573, thereby bringing' the elasticpower of the material of the rods at such loops into play. For thepurpose of locking the key-rails 54 and 57 positively in place againstmovement longitudinally of the horizontal portions of the rods 542 572after having been placed in the desired position suitable locking'devices are employed. A convenient form of locking device is illustratedin the drawings, (see more particularly Fig. 2,) it comprising' amovable plate or strip, as 545, mounted upon the key-rail by means of apivot 5451, each of the rods 542 and 572 being notched, as at 546 576,to receive the edge of the said locking' plate or strip. Each lockingplate or strip is movable upon its pivot 5451 on the correspondingkey-rail to enable it to move into one of the notches of the rod uponwhich said key-rail moves, so as to lock the key-rail in a givenposition, or to be raised from the said notch, so as to render the`key-rail movable. The tail of the locking device is reduced inthickness to render it yielding and bears upon the pin 5452. W'hen theengaging end of the locking device rests upon the upper surface of thecorresponding' steadying and guiding rod, the tail thereof is fiexed,and thereby placed in a state of tension, so that when the lockingdevice comes in line with a notch in said rod the said engaging endsprings into the notch. A thumb-lug' is provided upon the locking deviceat 5453 for convenience in operating the locking device. Each rod isprovided with a notch in position to be engaged by the locking device ofIOO the corresponding key-rail when the latter is its normal oroperative position for the purkey-rail in its normal position-as, forin-` stance, in order to permit tuning to be effected. Preferably oneend of each of the rods 542 and 572 is left straight and unattached inorder to enable the key-rails 54 and 57 to be applied to the rods atsuch ends or removed thereat. This enables the back key-rail 57 to beremoved and again applied whenever required after the overlying parts ofthe piano have been removed. So, also, the front keyrail 54 may bewithdrawn or restored to place after the key-strip 12L has been removed.

For the transmission of movement from a key 5 to the correspondingjack-lifting lever 16' I utilize a wire 27, apost 20, adjustable as toits length, and radius-arms 28 and 22. To the upper end of the wire 27is applied a head or button 271, which is furnished with a puncheon ordisk 272, of felt or the like, making contact with the under side of thekey. The said head or button is rectangular in cross'seetion in order toget greater extent of bearing within the widths of the key in casethe'wire should have to be located to one side of the key.

The wire is held in vertical position and guided in its movements bymeans of the radiusarms 28 and 22. The stem of the wire adjacent thesaid head or button 271 passes through a hole in the free extremity ofthe radius-arm 28, the puneheon or disk 273, of felt, interveningbetween the said head and the upper side of the said end of theradius-,arm 28. For greater convenience in applying the wire 27 andradius-arm to each other and in separating and again connecting the sameafter the various parts have been assembled-as, for instance, when it isrequired to adjust or tighten up the support of the radius-arm 28- thesaid hole isformed as anopen slot extending inward at the end of theradius-arm, the outer portion of said slot being slightly contracted inwidth, as indicated in Fig. 3, in order that as the wire is passedtransversely inward the sides of the slot may be forced slightly apartand may then approach each other sufciently after the wire has reachedthe inner and slightly-enlarged portion of the slot to retain the wirein such portion. To the lower end of the wire 27 is applied the foot274,V which is pivotally connected, as at 275, with the free extremityof the radius-arm 22. The upper extremity of the post 2O is pivotallyconnected, as at 276, with the radius-arm 22, while the lower extremityof the said post is received in a socket 161, which is formed in theforward arm of the jack-lifting lever 16. The radius-arm 28 is pivoted,as at 281, to the liange 282, which last is secured, as by a screw 283,to the iron bar 284, resting in a rabbet of the wooden cross-bar 285,connected with the plate. To the radius-arm 28 is pivotally connected,as at 286, the damper-carrying arm 287. .288 is the damper, which isconnected with the said arm. The radius-arm 28 and damper-carrying arm287 are furnished with opposing shoulders 289 and 2891, a puncheon ordisk of felt 2892 being applied to the shoulder 2891. of these shouldersthe damper is operated to raise the same from the string on thedepression of the key. In order that after the release of the key andafter the damper has again seated itself upon the string a suiiicientseparation may be occasioned between the shoulders 289 and 2891 toproduce a certain amount of lost motion between the said shoulders, acollar 277 is secured upon the wire 27 immediately below the extremityof the radius-arm 28, a puncheon or disk of felt 278 intervening betweenthe radius-arm 28 and collar 277. As the key after being released iscaused to rise by the ascent of the transmitting connections which isoccasioned by the action of the spring 18 under the jacklifting'lever16, the collar 27 7 lifts the radiusarm sufficiently to separate theshoulders 289 and 2891 somewhat, as shown, after the damper has come torest against the string. The lost motion between the shoulders aforesaidenables. the depression of the key to'be begun without the resistancewhich is incident to lifting the damper, rendering the touch lighter,the shoulders making contact witheach other after the key has descendedpart way, when the resistance due to lifting the damper will not befelt. The radius-arm 22 is pivoted, as at 221, to the iiange 222, whichis secured by screw 223 to the iron bar 224, carried by the woodencross-bar 225, connected with the `plate 8. The wire 27 at anintermediate point in its length passes between the strings 7. In thosecases in which a key does not lie fairly vertically above the spacebetween strings through which the corresponding vwire 27 passes theupper portion of the wire is bent laterally to the extent which may berequired in order to place the head or button 271 at its upper end inproper position beneath the said key. In order that the Wire 27 may havethe requisite stiffness to prevent it, notwithstanding the bend orinclination of the upper part thereof, from springing or becomingfurther bent by reason of the pressure that is applied to the same bythe key when the said key is struck in playing, I form the said wire ofa large gage, and in order to enable the same to fit and work betweenthe strings without contact with the strings during the vibrations ofthe latter I flatten the wire for a suficient portion of its length toclear the strings when vibrating in all of the usual positions of thewire. lBy the selection of wire of the proper gage I am enabled toflatten the portion of the same which works between the strings, as justdescribed,and at the same time secure strength and stiifness sufcient toobviate all tendency of the wire to spring or give way. even in theThrough the engagement i' IOO IIO

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attened portion of the same. The upper and lower ends of the wire 27 arescrew-threaded and are received in screw -threaded holes, which aretapped in the head 271 and foot 27 1, respectively. The adjustable post20 is composed of Lipper and lower sections and an intermediateconnecting portion 201, the said connecting portion consisting of asection of wire, one end of which is secured in the lower section, theupper end of said wire being screw-threaded and fitting a screw-threadedhole which is tapped in the lower end of the upper section. Rotation ofthe said connecting lower portion, so as to screw the wire into or outof the upper section, enables the post to be lengthened or shortened asrequired in practice.

The action-frame, comprising, essentially, the bottom 26 and cheeks orstandards 261, rests upon the action-bed 32 and is introduced intoposition or withdrawn by sliding it horizontally upon the saidaction-bed. 33 is a removable panel which is introduced at the front ofthe space containing the action-frame after the latter has been placedin position and which is removed when it is desired to withdraw theaction-frame. The pivotal connection of the posts 20 with theradius-arms 22 and the loose stepping of the lower ends of the saidposts in the sockets 161 in the forward arms of the jack-lifting' levers16 facilitates the insertion and removal of the actionframe and actioncarried thereby. These features of construction enable the lower ends ofthe posts to be disengaged from the jack-lifting levers 16 by a slightrelative vertical movement of the parts sufficient to separate the lowerends of the posts from the sockets of the jack-lifting levers, afterwhich the posts may be swung about the pivots at 276 into a horizontalposition in which they will be out of the path of the action and thesupports therefor, which are carried by the action-fraine, as the latteris withdrawn or reintroduced. For the purpose of facilitating' thewithdrawal and rcintroduction, as aforesaid, means is provided forpreventing the wires and their connections after the disengagement ofthe posts from the jack-lifting lever from descending into the way ofthe parts which are being removed or inserted. This means consists,mainly, of a horizontallymovable bar, as 34. The said bar 34, which maybe termed a locking-bar, is furnished -with a rearwardly-projecting lip341, which in the normal position of the bar is sufficiently removedfrom the various parts of the transmitting connections to permit freemovement of the latter to take place. When the locking-bar 3a is pushedrearwardly, however, the said lip passes under suitable portions of thetransmitting connections-for example, under lugs 27111, projectingforwardly from the feet 274C, which are connected with the wires 27. Thesaid locking-bar in this position will act to prevent the said wires 27and connected parts from descending below their normal positions whenthe posts 20 are discrigaged from the jack-lifting' levers 16 anddeprived of the support vertically ordinarily afforded by the saidlevers. In addition to providing, as aforesaid, for locking the upperportions of the transmitting connections prior to disengagement of theposts from the jack-lifting levers in order to prevent the same fromdescending after such disengagement has occurred I provide means forholding the said posts in an upturned or substantially horizontalposition during the operations of withdrawing and reintroducing theaction-frame. This result may be secured in various ways. I haveillustrated one way, it consisting in providing the upper member orsection of each post with a yielding catch consisting of an elastic pin202, projecting forwardly from the said upper member or section, thesaid pin being constituted of a piece of wire having one end driven orseated in lthe said upper member or section, the outer or free extremityof the wire being formed with a head or engaging' portion which isproduced by bending the said extremity to form an eye or loop, the saideye or loop being' situated in a vertical plane when the pin is appliedto the post. The locking-bar 34 being in its locking` position movementof the posts forwardly and upwardly around their pivots 276 will causethe latching-pins 202 to be carried up in front of the front edge 342 ofthe locking-bar 34. In the rise of the posts the heads of the pins 202will strike against the front edge 342 of the locking-bar 34 and bedeflected forwardly thereby. After the heads have passed the said edgethe pins will spring backward, causing the heads thereof to catch overthe top of the said edge 342, thereby latching the posts in upturnedposition out of the way of the action and action-frame in being movedhorizontally into and out of working position. To improve the hold ofthe heads of the latchingpins 202 with the edge 3112, the latter may bemade slightly beveled, as shown, to form an acute-angled edge.

The soft stop (shown at 19)comprises a roll, as shown, having the bodythereof disposed eccentrically with relation to its journals 191. Thebearings for the said journals are provided in flanges 192, each of thesaid flanges comprising a block which is attached by screws 193 193 tothe front edge of one of the cheeks 261. The said block is formed with aslit or slot 194., extendinginto the same from its lower end nearly tothe upper end thereof, the bearing for the corresponding journal of thesoft stop being provided in the proximate faces of the portions whichare separated by the said slit or slot, as shown, the said bearing beinghushed, as at 196. At 197 is a screw by means of which the two sides ofthe bearing are drawn together to secure the desired fit upon the joui'-IOO IIO

is made vertically through the bottom 26 of j A pin 204, projectinglaterally from the link 200, limits the descent of the action-frame.

the said link, and thereby determines the retracted position of the softstop by making contact with the upper surface of the felt stop 205 onthe bottom portion of the action-frame.

The stop 205 and pin 204 prevent the lower end of the link fromprojecting below the bottom 26 of the action-frame. Hence said link doesnot interfere with the movement 'of the action-frame into and out ofplace. A hole 321 is formed vertically' through the actionbed 32. Thehole 203 in the bottom of the action-frame registers with the said hole321 through the action-bed when the actionframe is in its proper workingposition. A rodor plunger 322 is fitted to this hole 321 in theaction-bed and has suitable operating connections by means of which itmay be moved vertically. When said rod or plunger is caused to rise, theupper end of the sameengages the lower end of the depending link 200 andby raising the latter turns the soft-stop roll 19, so as to raise thejack-beds 12 more or less, and thereby vary the extent of the stroke ofthe hammers as desired. In order that the link 200 may not becomedisconnected from the upper end of the rod or plunger 322 in the higherpositions of the parts, as in consequence of the curvilinear movement ofthe upper end of the link 200 following the path of pivot 199, and inorder that by preventing such disconnection the lower end of the link200 may always be caused to descend Within the hole 203 in the bottomofthe action-bed, a separable pin-and-socket joint is formed on themeeting portions of the rod or plunger and link. Thus the pin 324projects from the upper end of the rod or plunger, and a socket 325 toreceive the said pin is formed in the lower end of the link.

At 4 is the sounding-board, at 41 the sounding-board bridge, at 42 theboard-lining, and at 43 the belly-bar. These parts are located beneaththe strings, between the strings and the action proper. The hammer risespast the front edges of the belly-bar and soundingboard to strike thestrings.

- The piano, which is in part illustrated in the drawings, ischaracterized by the facts that the bridge does not oppose thehammeraction, that the action is reversed in its position and has itshammers turned toward the front, and that the belly-bar, together withthe action, is vlocated below the strings. One aim of the invention isto enable the hammerpivot to be located yas near as possible to theplane of the strings and yet retain the necessary strength in theconstruction of the piano. I therefore make the belly-bar of metal andquite thin, so that thereby the strings and hammer-pivots may be broughtvery close together. In order to secure the greatest strength, thebelly-bar is formed as a hat web slightly curved along its rear side, soas to resemble portion of an arch. It is secured by bolts 44 at its rearedge to the transverse beam or Stringer 45 and preferably along itsfront edge also by means of bolts 46, passing through the said edge, theboard-lining, the sounding-board, and a transverse bar or strip 47 intothe plate. The bar or strip 47 is placed against the under side of theplate between the latter and the sounding-board.

In restringing it may be necessary to remove the key-rails. Theconstruction which has been described herein provides for this removalby enabling the front key-rail to be drawn forward to effect the removalthereof and the back key-rail to be moved in the other direction. 1 v

I lay no claim herein to the various features of construction,arrangement, &c., in connection with the keys and the key-rails,inasmuchas these form the subject of my divisional application filedFebruary 26, 1903, Serial No. 145,157.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a

key, an action operated therefrom, and transpost engaging by one endwith an arm pertaining to the said action, a radius-arm with which theother portion of said post is pivotally connected, a wire passingbetween the strings, having the portion thereof which works between thestrings flattened to obviate contact with the strings, also having oneportion thereof pivotally connected with the said radius-arm and anotherportion receiving the pressure of the key, anda second radius-arm havinga hole therethroughA within which the said wire is received,substantially as described. v

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3. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key, an action operatedtherefrom, and transmitting connections comprising, essentially a postengaging by one end with an arm pertaining to the said action, aradius-arm with which the opposite portion of said post is pivotallyconnected, a wire passing between the strings, having' one portionthereof pivotally connected with the said radius-arm and the otherportion thereof receiving the pressure of the key, and a secondradius-arm having' an open-ended hole or slot within which the said wireis received, and into or from which it may be passed by lateralmovement, substantially as described.

4. In a piano, in combination, the strings, the key, the action, andmotion-transmitting connections intermediate the key and actionincluding a wire operated by the key and passing between the strings, aradius-arm by which the said wire is guided at one side of the strings,and a second radius-arm by which the wire is guided at the other side ofthe strings, the said second radius-arm having an openended hole or slotwithin which the said wire is received, and into or from which it may bepassed by lateral movement, substantially as described.

5. In a piano, in combination, the strings, the key, the action,motion-transmitting connections intermediate the key and actionincluding' a wire operated by the key and passing' between the strings,a radius-arm by which the said wire is guided adjacent the key, saidradius-arm working between collars or enlarg'ements on said wire, and adamper-arm operated by said radius-arm with lost motion, substantiallyas described.

6. In a piano, in combination, the strings, the key, the action,motion-transmitting connections intermediate the key and actionincluding a wire operated by the key and passing between the strings, aradius-arm by which the said wire is guided adjacent the key, saidradius-arm working between collars or enlargements on said wire, and adamper-arm pivotally connected with said radius-arm and operatedtherefrom with lost motion, substantially as described.

7. In a piano, in combination, the string's, the key, the action,motion-transmitting connections intermediate the key and actionincluding a wire passing between the strings, a head applied to saidwire and receiving the pressure of the key, a radius-arm by which thesaid wire is guided in its movements, a collar on said wire betweenwhich and said head the radius-arm is received, and a damperarm operatedby said radius-arm with lost motion, substantially as described.

8. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key, an action operatedtherefrom, and motion-transmitting connections between said key andaction containing' a transmitting-wire passing between the strings andhaving the portion thereof which works between the strings flattened andthereby reduced in thickness to obviate contact with the strings, andlarger in diameter at opposite sides of the strings, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key at one side of thesaid strings, an action at the other side of the said strings, andtransmitting connections comprising essentially a wire passing' betweenthe said strings and receiving at one side of the latter the pressurederived from the key, a post operated by the said wire, located at theopposite side of the strings from the key, and engaging with an larmpertaining to the said action, a radiusarm adjacent the key by means ofwhich the wire is guided in its movements at one side of the strings,and a second radius-arm at the opposite side of the strings by which thewire and post are controlled in their movements, substantially asdescribed.

lO. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key at one side of thelatter, an action at the other side thereof, and transmittingconnections comprising a wire operated by the said key and passingbetween the strings, a radiusarm adjacent the key by which the said wireis guided at one side of the strings, a second radius-arm at theopposite side of the strings with which the said wire is connected, anda post pivotally connected with the said second radius-arm and engagingwith an arm of the said action, substantially as described.

l1. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key at one side of thelatter, the removable action-frame and action at the opposite side ofthe strings and motion-transmitting connections comprising a wireoperated by the key and passing between the strings, guides at oppositesides of the said strings whereby the wire is controlled in itsmovements, and the post in pivotal connection with the said wire andadapted to be swung about the pivotal point to permit removal andreplacement of the action-frame and action, substantially as described.

12. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key at one side of thelatter, the removable action-frame and action at the opposite side ofthe strings, motion-transmitting connections operated by the key andembracing' a member passing' between the strings, and a post operativelyconnecting' with the action, the said post having' pivotal connectionwith the adjacent member of said connections and being adapted to beswung about the pivotal point to permit removal and replacement of theaction-frame and action, and means to lock said connections to preventthe same, after disengagement of the post from the action frominterfering with the withdrawal and replacement of the action-frame andaction, substantially as described.

13. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key, the action, the wirepassing between thc IOC strings, the radius-bars at opposite sides ofthe said strings, the post pivotally connected with one of the saidradius-bars, and the lockingbar to engage with a lug or projectionconnected with the said wire to hold the connections, afterdisconnection of the post from the action, from passing into position tointerfere with the removal or replacement of the action, substantiallyas described.

14. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key the removableaction-frame and action, and motion-transmitting connections comprisingessentially the wire passing between the strings and operated by thekey, the post in pivotal connection at one end with the wire and at theother engaging with an arm pertaining to the action, and means to latchsaid post to retain it when turned out of the way of the action-frameVand action as the latter are withdrawn and replaced, substantially asdescribed.

15. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key, the removableaction-frame and action, a wire passing between the strings and operatedby the key, a radius-arm with which the wire is connected at theopposite side or' the strings from the-key, a post pivotally connectedvwith the said radius-arm and engaging with an arm pertaining to theaction, the locking-bar to hold the transmitting connections frompassing into the path of the actionframe and action as the latter arebeing withdrawn and replaced, and the latching device for holding thepost swung to one side out of the path of the action-frame and action,substantially as described.

16. In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key, the removableaction-frame and action, a wire passing between the strings and operatedby the key, a radius-bar with which'the wire is connected at theopposite sides of the strings from the key a post pivotally con-` nectedwith the said radius-arm and engaging with an arm pertaining to theaction, the locking-bar to hold the transmitting connections frompassing into the path of the actionframe and action as the latter arebeing withdrawn and replaced, and a latching device for holding the postswung to one side out of the path of the action-frame and action,substantially as described.

17 In a piano, in combination, the strings, a key, the removableaction-frame and action, a wire passing between the strings and operatedby the key, a radius-bar with which the wire is connected at theopposite side of the strings from the key, a post pivotally connectedwith the said radius-arm and engaging with an arm pertaining to theaction, the locking-bar to hold the'transmitting connections frompassing into the path of the actionframe and action as the latter arebeing withdrawn and replaced, and the latching-pin to engage with thesaid locking-.bar to retain the post whenswung out of the path of theaction-frame and action, substantially as described.

18. In a piano, in combination, the case, the removable action-frame,the action carried thereby, the soft stop also carried by saidaction-frame, the link 200 connected with the said soft stop, and therod or plunger, 322, tted to a hole in the said case and adapted toengage with the said link 20() when the actionframe is in normalposition in the case, substantially as described.

19. In a piano, in combination, the case, the removable action-frame,the action carried by said action-frame, the soft stop also carried 'theplate, the sounding-board and belly-bar intermediate the plate and theaction, and the action having the hammer-pivots in a plane which passesvertically through the belly-bar, substantially as described.

21.' In a piano, in combination, the strings, the plate, thesounding-board and belly-bar intermediate the plate and the action, andthe action beneath said vbelly-bar, substantially as described.

22. In a piano, in combination, the strings, the plate, thesounding-board, the ilat Inetal belly-bar below the sounding-board, andthe action below said belly-bar and having the hammer-pivots beneath thebelly-bar, substantially as described.

23. In a piano, in combination, the strings, the plate, thesounding-board, the iat metal belly-bar below the sounding-board, theaction below said belly-bar and having the hammerpivots beneath thebelly-bar, the transverse beam or Stringer having the rear edge of thebelly-bar secured thereto, the bar between the sounding-board and theplate, and the bolts securing the front edges of the belly-bar andsounding-board, the said bar, and the plate together` substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I atliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RO BERT S. BOI/VEN.

Witnesses:

CHAs. F. RANDALL, WILLIAM A. CoPELAND.

IOO

IIO

